It started Thursday night with a standing ovation for the ex-mayor at the Air Canada Centre during the Maple Leafs game. Just wait until the visitation and funeral next week, when I expect you’ll see thousands come out to say goodbye to one of Toronto’s most famous sons in a way that will be as big as he was.

“I still can’t believe it’s true,” childhood buddy Domenic Sgambelluri added of Ford’s death last Tuesday after a battle with cancer. “At least I know he is happy to see his dad.”

Ford will lie in repose at City Hall on Monday and Tuesday before a procession on Wednesday will take him to St. James Cathedral for his funeral. Then it’s off to the Toronto Congress Centre for a Ford Fest-like bash that Rob would have wanted.

Jenny James and her band, Jen and the Men, will play some classic rock ’n’ roll including her famous Mayor Ford (The World Will Remember) song. Other surprises are planned.

“It’s so sad,” James said in a statement on her website. “The world will remember a kind, caring man with unbelievable determination and perseverance. He truly wanted to make Toronto a better place, never too busy to help someone. He touched a lot of people’s hearts. I’m honoured to be able to play at his memorial service and my deepest condolences to his family.”

The whole thing is going to be some event and there’s nothing the ‘War on Ford’ crowd can do to stop it — even a shirtless protest or heckling.

He beat them in the end. And that was no easy task if you consider all they threw at him.

“I’m looking, hearing and reading all these media personalities coming out of nowhere, talking about Ford like they lost a brother, but I remember the way they were when he had tough times,” Sun reader Steve Jay said. “They love him now only because it’s politically correct.”

He’s going to be missed.

“He taught us if you get knocked down and stepped on in the game, to remember it was only one play. Get back up and get into the next play,” said Felix Opoku, who played football for Coach Rob Ford at Don Bosco and became an assistant coach.

Felix tells me Rob would use football as a metaphor for life but also life as a metaphor for football.

“He would tell the kids he got to be mayor so there was no reason why they could not do something great in their lives too,” Felix said. “I met him when I was 16 and I had nothing. He bought me my football gear and taught me how to play. You never forget something like that.”

There are so many stories like that about Rob Ford. It’s mind boggling just how much impact that man had on this city and country.

“Rob Ford will never be forgotten,” Sun reader Robert Hamilton said. “The bumps he had are nothing compared to the strengths he had for people.”

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At Rob’s funeral, watch for people to be wearing special red and blue ties in honour of the Ford Nation colours.

At George Bigliardi’s 80th birthday at Carisma on Thursday night, John Newediuk told me that Newediuk Funeral Home Kipling Chapel staffers went out and bought the ties — similar to the green ones they wore at former finance minister Jim Flaherty’s funeral service.

I am trying to find out what other participants could be there. I am hearing some rappers, reggae artists and some gospel singing, so stay tuned. We all know how much Rob loved to dance.

I am also on the lookout to see the different politicians who may or may not be there. Perhaps former prime minister Stephen Harper? How about former police chief turned Toronto Liberal MP Bill Blair? It’s going to be an interesting week.

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James Akam, the Afghan interpreter who worked with Canadian troops, made it to Berlin for his big meeting at the Canadian Embassy last Tuesday.

“The meeting went great,” he told me. “They were very nice people.”

But he’s still not on his way to Canada.

“Looks like the interview went well but the official apparently has no powers to grant the visa himself so he has forwarded his report, promising he’d emphasize the urgency,” said Ralf Lemster, of the German Federal Association of Interpreters (BDU).

Lemster brought James from the refugee camp to Berlin. BDU president Andre Lindemann and Lemster have taken up the cause for James in a big way. Rather than make James travel back to the camp, Lemster brought him home for the Easter weekend.

“Once the visa issue has been clarified, we will need to get him on a plane to Canada, and equally urgent, his wife and son out of Afghanistan,” Lemster said.

If anybody in immigration is working over Easter weekend, maybe get on this before Tuesday? Thanks so much, Ralf and Andre. All class.

Thanks to everybody else for all your support. To grieving Ford Nation, we feel your pain. Have a great Easter everyone. Scrawler out.

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